Rory Delargy
KEMPTON SATURDAY
2.00 BetBright #REALFANSONLY ADONIS JUVENILE HURDLE (2M)
IT’S notable that there are several former French recruits representing top yards here, with Paul Nicholls’ pair Pilansberg and Zubayr both catching the eye. A market check is advised, but experience counts for an awful lot in such events, and Gibralfaro can underline his Triumph Hurdle claims by conceding weight. The race Alan King’s charge won at Ascot has proved a springboard for some top-notch juveniles over the years, and the fact that runner-up Connetable was able to beat his elders at Sandown next time merely emphasizes the strength of the form.
St Saviour doesn’t have a great deal to find on the figures, but he was best in the mud when trained by William Haggas, and both hurdles outings have come in deep ground, so there must be a question mark over his ability to reproduce his best on ground which is belatedly drying out.
3.35 BetBright CHASE (3M)
As usual, there is a big field for this valuable prize, but plenty arrive with something to prove, and it may not be as competitive as the numbers would suggest. Champagne West remains unexposed, and can be competitive at the top level if only he could avoid errors, but that is an ongoing issue with him and he was stopped in his tracks by a monumental blunder at Cheltenham last time. Le Reve is the most reliable option, his best form coming at this trip on right-handed tracks, and a small rise for winning at Sandown recently isn’t harsh.
He’ll be thereabouts again, but one who appears better handicapped is Theatre Guide, who has been placed in a pair of Hennessy Gold Cups, including when storming through for second behind Smad Place in November, and he was again in the frame behind that rival in the Betbright Trial Chase at Cheltenham four weeks ago. It’s true that he was beaten a fair way, but he’s the type who will always maintain a gallop, and has run well at this track several times in the past. In fact, he would have won the Grade 2 Pendil Novices’ Chase on this card a few years ago but for a lastcfence fall. He looks as good as ever this year, and has been given a real chance by the handicapper, who leaves him on the mark he raced off at Newbury, which is itself lenient on the form he’d shown early last season. Like a few of Colin Tizzard’s he struggled last spring, but a move to new stables has seen a large portion of the string back to form, and it appears the horses are all benefiting from a healthier regime, as results would suggest.
4.10 WATCH RACING UK ON 3 DEVICES HANDICAP HURDLE (2M 5F)
Shammick Boy has endured a poor campaign to date, but he hinted at a return to form when behind the progressive Baoulet Delaroque at Wincanton on his latest start, travelling well for a long way before finding the principals doing him for toe. Since then the Victor Dartnall yard has found some form, with a winner and a close second on the flat in recent days. That augurs well for the stable as a whole and Shammick Boy won this race a year ago from a 1lb lower mark. He also has the benefit of David Prichard’s claim and isn’t one to take lightly.
The other runner of interest is Kublai, who won after a break at Ludlow in November, so ought not to lack for fitness on his first outing since. He’s in the Martin Pipe next month, and obviously goes well for Ciaran Gethings, but would need to win in some style if he’s to go up enough in the weights to get into that oversubscribed handicap. There is, of course, another meeting here the day after the festival finishes, and that may well be the plan with him, with the runners for the feature races being taken from those missing the cut at Cheltenham. He’s unexposed, so should still have a fair bit more to offer, and conditions look ideal.
4.45 WATCH LIVE RACING ON BetBright.com HANDICAP CHASE (2M 4F 110Y)
He may have failed to complete when we were with him at Warwick last time, but there is no reason to desert De Kerryman, especially now dropping back in trip. He was tired when falling two out in the Classic Chase, but is a sound jumper in the main, and didn’t touch a twig despite losing his rider at Cheltenham on his penultimate start. Both times he’s travelled as if ahead of his mark, and it’s generous of the assessor to drop him a couple of pounds for that non-staying effort at Warwick. I’d prefer to see David Bridgwater in better form but the selection has enough in his favour and can recoup recent losses with a little luck in running.
NEWCASTLE SATURDAY
2.50 BETFAIR EIDER CHASE (4M 122Y)
Woodford County is something of a specialist in these marathon events, and has run very respectably in the latest running of both the Midlands and Welsh Grand Nationals, his fifth to Mountainous in the latter a better result than the distance beaten indicates. He had previously scored in a similar event at Exeter, and doesn’t look overburdened here. He can hit the frame again, but may struggle to cope with Rocking Blues who has won his last two with ease under Lorcan Murtagh, and has been let off lightly under a 6lb penalty for his latest romp at Kelso. Now an 11-year-old, it might be hard to imagine he’s improving, but he’s lightly raced for his age, and still unexposed at staying trips. He does face much tougher rivals than on his last two starts, but clearly has very strong claims on form, and can give his young pilot the fillip of a televised winner.
RECOMMENDED
THEATRE GUIDE 3.35 Kempton 1pt e/w @ 8/1 (general)
KUBLAI 4.10 Kempton 1pt win
SHAMMICK BOY 4.10 Kempton 1pt win
DE KERRYMAN 4.45 Kempton 1pt win
ROCKING BLUES 2.50 Newcastle 1pt e/w @ 8/1 (general)